Need Help?

2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2dr Coupe

2008 Ford Mustang
Trim Info:
Rear Wheel Drive, 2 Door Coupe, Subcompact
14 mpg city / 20 mpg hwy
Other Trims
Do you own this car?
Estimated Mileage
 Miles
Enter current mileage for most
accurate info about this vehicle


Track Your Service Records
Get Recall Alerts
Get Updated Value Estimates on Your Car.

Expert Reviews

November 4, 2009 by Brian Alexander, Content Editor

2008 Ford Mustang 1
2008 Ford Mustang

DriverSide Overview
Thanks to the tire-smoking efforts of Jerry Bruckheimer, Nicholas Cage and several stunt drivers, the GT500 name was slapped silly with a renewed sense of passion a few years back. Born in 1967, the Shelby GT500 has always been about large displacement muscle replete with a raw, guttural soundtrack to match. Built in cooperation with Shelby, who currently makes 120-150 Cobras a year in addition to a staggering 9,000 Mustangs, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 is a no-nonsense powerhouse that takes the spirit of it’s namesake and pairs it with modern technology – that is, ignoring the solid rear axle. The result is a modern piece of American muscle begging you to smoke the tires at every stoplight, slide the tail out of corners and break the speed limit every time the opportunity is presented.





What's to Like
Raw, supercharged power is the GT500’s mission statement, and it certainly delivers. The unobtrusive traction control lets you have your cake and eat it too. Throwback styling gives the car both a sense of
aggression and nostalgia.

What's Not to Like
The GT500 is a heavy car, weighing in at nearly two tons, and as a result can be somewhat unwieldy in the corners. Low-grade interior doesn’t match the high-end price tag.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions

500 horsepower means serious speed, and the GT500 hits hard off the line straight up to its 155 mph speed limiter. The supercharged V-8 sees the GT500 to 60 mph in 4.5 brief seconds and through the quarter mile in 12.8 seconds. All that power is put down via a somewhat antiquated solid rear axle, though it doesn’t result in too rough of a ride except on the most patchy and torn apart roads. Weighing in at 3,900 lbs, the GT500 can be somewhat of a handful in the corners and there is a minor delay between your steering inputs and the car’s reaction; it’s nothing major, but it’s certainly there. The less-than-perfect weight balance – 58 percent front and 42 percent rear – somehow doesn’t manifest itself as an issue during spirited driving.

Engine and Drivetrain
The GT500 is powered by a monstrous Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8. The engine makes 500 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. Power is transmitted through the rear wheels via a heavily weighted six-speed manual gearbox. The clutch is somewhat springy and bites towards the top, but it’s easy to modulate once you are dialed into its behavior.

Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
In light of its focus on performance, the GT500 doesn’t have too many options. Luckily, navigation hasn’t been overlooked, and a DVD-based system is available at a $1,995 premium. An upgraded Shaker Audio system can also be added for $1,295, though we can’t see why you’d want to rob your ears of the GT500’s exhaust note by cranking up the tunes. New for 2008 is an Ambient Interior Lighting option priced at $295, which shuffles seven different colors which the driver can choose to light the console, cupholders and footwells.

Key Technology Evaluation
It probably doesn’t need to be said that the star of the GT500 show is the engine. While it isn’t as expensive as that of the Ford GT supercar – the GT500’s engine uses a wet oil sump and is constructed of cast iron versus the GT’s dry sump and aluminum block setup – the output is nearly the same thanks to lessons learned during the supercar’s development. The anti-lock brakes do a good job of dealing with the GT500’s mass, using 4-piston calipers with 14-inch rotors in the front and 11.8-inch rotors in the back.

Green Evaluation/Gas Mileage
For a car that’s all about muscle, you probably aren’t expecting stellar mileage. Surprisingly, the GT500’s fuel economy isn’t as bad as one might guess, managing 14 mpg in the city and a nice, round 20 mpg on the highway thanks to a long sixth gear.

A Closer Look:  Vehicle Details
Interior

The GT500 distinguishes itself from standard Mustangs with a large, three-spoke steering wheel complete with requisite cobra logo and black sports seats with optional crimson red colored insets. Unfortunately, the interior plastics don’t quite match the GT500’s price tag and, while we agree the interior might not be the focus of the car’s appeal, upgraded components would be welcome.

Exterior
The aggressive front fascia of the GT500, coupled with its bulging hood and racing stripes signal that this car is purely about performance. Standard 18-inch aluminum wheels fill the arches, giving the Mustang an aggressive stance from any angle.

Market Segment and Pricing
With an MSRP of $42,330, the Ford Shelby GT500 is one of the best horsepower per dollar deals around. Its closest competitors are the $5,000 cheaper (albeit heavier and less powerful) Dodge Challenger SRT8 and the $46,950 Chevrolet Corvette, both of which have massive V-8s and similar build quality.

What We Think
In pure cheap horsepower terms, the Ford Shelby GT500 is hard to look past. While it may be heavy and the steering lacks precision, neither are enough to significantly spoil the driving experience. With the muscle car revival now in full swing, Ford and Shelby are poised to give the competition a run for their money. The more things change, the more things stay the same.





Other Resources

2008 Mustang Specs – 2008 Mustang SpecsStandard Safety. Side air bags are now standard on all Mustang models.Cool New Features. Available interior ambient lighting and HID headlampsadd a touch of upscale class. Bold Design. Three new colors andavailable 18-inch premium w Source: www.hotrod.com

Mustang Bullitt (TM) Races to the Streets in 2008 – Mustang Bullitt (TM) Races to the Streets in 2008SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 6 - Four decades after hitting thebig screen and redefining the onscreen car chase, the Ford MustangBullitt returns to the streets in 2008, blending the best Mustang everwith the la Source: www.hotrod.com

In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt – Filed under: Garage, Coupes, FordClick above for high-res gallery of the Mustang BullittMy earliest memory of falling in love with a car was a Mustang. As a kid, a friend of our family had a blue 1969 Mach 1 with the Shaker hood scoop, louvers on the Source: feeds.autoblog.com

DRIVERS LOG: 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt: – EXECUTIVE EDITOR WES RAYNAL: IÂ’m sure that if it hasnÂ’t happened already, it will very soon: All 7700 Mustang Bullitts will be sold. Recall that it took only a couple of months to sell all 5000 of the Â’01 Bullitts. Source: www.autoweek.com

Tjaarda and HST International now taking orders for all-electric Mustang and Shelby Cobra – Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green DailyHST International and Tjaarda Design have announced a new partnership that they say will "change the face of electric cars." Actually, what's going on here is that the partnership is changing whats under the hood o Source: feeds.feedburner.com

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR Source: cars.about.com

First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR, Part 2 – Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Ford, ShelbyClick above for new high-res gallery of our GT500KR First Drive Our initial drive of the Shelby GT500KR on public roads revealed that Ford, SVT and Shelby had addressed many of the issues that we had with Source: feeds.autoblog.com

First Drive: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – It's Good To Be King: GT500, kicked up a notch. Or two. Source: www.motortrend.com

Top Ten Cars to Give as Gifts – Want to give your loved one a car as a gift? Here's a list of the ten best cars to give as gifts, with links to test drives and new car reviews from Aaron Gold and the experts at About.com Cars. Source: cars.about.com

Shelby GT500KR priced near $80,000: – There's nothing low-key about the 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR--including its price--which will be about $80,000 when the remake of the 1968 classic arrives in showrooms later this month. Source: www.autoweek.com

Comparison: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 vs. 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 – Time Travelers: Nixon may not be in the White House, but among the Big Three it's 1970 all over again. Source: www.motortrend.com

Ford GT500KR Test Drive - Part I - Garage419 – We stomp on the new 540hp Ford GT500 King of the Road through the hills of Utah. Can this car keep up with all the hype? Watch and find out. Source: www.garage419.com

Big, bad horsepower daddy: A new king of the road – If you think the 500-hp Ford Mustang GT500 is a bit anemic, you're in luck. Coming to Ford dealerships later this month is the biggest, baddest, fastest production Mustang ever, the limited-edition Shelby GT500KR. Source: www.autoweek.com

Ford GT500KR Test Drive - Part II - Garage419 – Matt Farah takes a ride in the new GT500KR around Utah's famous Miller Motorsports Park. Does the supercharged Mustang live up to its name of King of the Road? Can this car keep up with all the hype? Watch and find out. Source: www.garage419.com

Ford King of the Road GT500 Worth... $154,991?! – eBay is somewhat of a double-edges sword. On one hand, it can get you great deals on products you want. On the other hand, however, it is a go-to place for people trying to sell the hype of their wares onto an unsuspecting public. There is no greater Source: forums.motivemag.com

Long Live the King: The Shelby GT500KR Returns – With Texas-sized fanfare, complete with fireworks and a chili cook-off, Carroll “Ferrari’s ass is mine” Shelby finished his eighty-fifth lap of the sun this past January. He’s no spring chicken, but the race is far from over Source: feeds.feedburner.com

eBay Find of the Day: 2008 Shelby Super Snake – Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Auction Action, Supercars, Ford, ShelbyClick above for gallery of the Super Snake Despite the Shelby GT500KR's claim of supremacy over the dominion that is the open road, there is yet another Mustang that is even mor Source: feeds.feedburner.com

Eighth Verse, Same as the First – We recently had the chance to flog four examples currently offered by Ford at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. Source: www.0-60mag.com

Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang – Filed under: Tuners, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Ford, ROUSHClick above for a high-res gallery of the Roush 437R Trak Pak Mustang. We've driven our fair share of Mustangs, but it's a rare occasion that we get to drive one at the track. That's part of the rea Source: feeds.feedburner.com

2008 RaceCraft 420S Mustang – 2008 RaceCraft 420S MustangSaleen Incorporated, best known for modifying high-performance Ford Mustangs and F-150s, has created a new entry-level performance vehicle line.Racecraft, a name associated with Saleen suspensions, will now become a full Sa Source: www.automobilemag.com

SHORT STINT: 2008 Ford Mustang convertible: – OUR TAKE: The Mustang convertibleÂ’s ride is fairly soft, and it gets out of sorts over rough pavement. That said, it is still surprising just how quiet the Mustang is. Source: www.autoweek.com

Long Term Update 2: 2008 Ford Shelby GT Convertible – According associate Web editor Kirill Ougarov, "Between the Shelby's cool factor and throaty engine noise, you almost forget about its bumpy, shaky ride, underwhelming stereo, and it-is-what-it-is interior."Other complaints? "The old-school Hurst shi Source: www.motortrend.com

Ford Forums – Interact with the Ford community. Source: www.fordforums.com

Mustang Forums – Interact with the Mustang community. Source: www.mustangforums.com

Comparison: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR - America's Best Handling Car Contender Video – We test the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR as part of America's Best Handling Car competition.... Source: www.motortrend.com

VIDEO: Autoblog playing with KITT, having too much fun – Filed under: Coupes, Videos, Supercars, Ford, HumorYou may have seen our In the Autoblog Garage report from earlier today about a very unique car: the KITT Shelby GT500 KR. When someone offers you the keys to what is essentially a supercharged V8-pow Source: feeds.feedburner.com

Mustang V8 – V8 Mustang Resource. Source: www.mustangv8.com

2008 Ford Mustang FR500S - The Birth Of A Race Car – 2008 Ford Mustang FR500S - The Birth Of A Race CarFord has cooked up a killer turnkey race car that you can buy and go raod racing in tomorrow. It's called the FR500S, and the series is the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Here's how Source: www.hotrod.com

2008 Ford Mustang Saleen Dan Gurney H281SC Signature Edition – 2008 Ford Mustang Saleen Dan Gurney H281SC Signature EditionThis is a car for the rich old guy who loves muscle cars and watched Dan Gurney kick butt back in the day.How much is this thing, anyway? Fifty grand? Fifty-five grand? I guess it doesn't mu Source: www.automobilemag.com

Ode to the 2005-2009 Ford Mustang – Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Ford It is one of the most loved and hated cars on Autoblog.com - the Ford Mustang, particularly the latest generation produced from 2005-2009 known as the S197. Its proponents rave about its bang for the buck and han Source: feeds.feedburner.com

Your Local Mechanics

New Search: